Software applications operating on a user's computing device become outdated as new versions of the software are developed. Software distributors face the challenge of notifying existing users that an upgrade to a software application is available and convincing the users to obtain and install the upgrade.
First, software application users typically have little motivation to initiate contact with software distributors to obtain upgrades. Further, software distributors often lose contact with users of software applications which have been previously distributed. This loss of contact prevents distributors from easily offering upgrades, as well as new products, to users of previously distributed software applications who may have an interest in the new product offerings. Further, even if they are notified of an upgrade or other product, users face the inconvenience of having to obtain and load the upgrade or new software product. Recently, many software applications have become available through electronic distribution, particularly over the Internet. In the typical case of software distributed over the Internet, the distributor maintains the software applications on a server at the distributor's web site. Information relating to the ordering and downloading of the software applications from the web site is available on the distributor's Internet web site, e.g. their download page.
A potential user can access the distributor's web site via the Internet using, for example, a personal computer or other computing device at the potential user's home, office or other site. The distributor's web page is customarily downloaded to the potential user's computing device and can be manipulated by the potential user to order one or more desired software applications. These applications are then automatically downloaded off the distributor's web server to the user's site and installed on the user's computing device.
Although the Internet has, in some ways, made the ordering and distribution of software applications more efficient, it has not made it easier for distributors to maintain contact with current users of software applications or to notify and convince such users to order and install upgrades or to consider the purchase of new product offerings. In fact, because the point of distribution has become a web site rather than a store front, it has, to some extent, become even more difficult to maintain contact with current users. Distributors can attempt to maintain contact with current users by using communication channels such as the telephone, postal mail and Internet E-mail. However, these channels of communications tend to be expensive, inefficient and/or poorly targeted.
Thus, a need remains for way in which to inexpensively, efficiently and in a well targeted manner (i) maintain contact with existing users of software applications, (ii) notify existing users of software applications of the availability of software upgrades and new product offerings, and (iii) make it convenient for existing users of software applications to obtain and install software upgrades and new products.